under his tongue for a moment ; but it will prove the gall of asps within him. There is no exception to that truth, " The way of transgressors is hard." But there is not a grace which can be exercised that does not tranquillize the mind. All imaginable graces, whether towards God or man, may be re- solved into the one principle of love : and how sweet that is, we need not to observe : it carries its own evidence along with it. In truth, this is the very thing asserted in our text ; " The fruit of righteousness is peace : " peace is the odour which that holy ointment invariably diffuses ; as the Psalmist has said, " In keeping God's commandments there is great reward."
If it be thought that the duties of penitence and self-denial are rather of a painful nature, we appeal to all who know what penitence and self-denial are, Whether they have not found an exquisite joy in penitential sorrow, and a more lively satisfac- tion in the exercise of self-denial, than in all the gratifications which sin could possibly administer? We say again, without fear of contradiction, that there is no exception to this rule.]
2. As bringing with it the testimony of a good conscience —
[This is a source of unspeakable comfort : " Our rejoicing is this," says the Apostle, " the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world1." It will not unfrequently happen that our principles and conduct may be misinterpreted ; so that we may incur blame on account of those very things, which, if rightly viewed, would have entitled us to applause : but, if we have a conscious- ness that we have really endeavoured to fulfil the will of God, we shall not lay much to heart the obloquy that is cast upon us, but shall say with the Apostle, " It is a small matter to be judged of you or of man's judgment ; yea, I judge not mine own self: but he that judgeth me is the Lords." In the hour of death more especially will peace and assurance fill the soul of one who has truly and unreservedly devoted himself to God. Not that he will be trusting in a well-spent life as meritorious in the sight of God, or as able to justify him at the bar of judg- ment : no man who knows any thing of the Gospel can enter- tain such a delusive hope as that; for the whole Scriptures tes- tify that Christ alone is the foundation of a sinner's hope, and that no man can be accepted of God but through the blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus : but still a consciousness that we have truly lived to God and for God, in holy obedience to his commands, will be to us an evidence of the truth of our faith, and the sincerity of our love ; and will inspire us with confidence in reference to the future judgment : for St. John
r 2 Cor. i. 12. s 1 Cor. iv. 3, 4.